Appius Junius Silanus

Appius Junius Silanus, whom Cassius Dio erroneously calls Gaius Appius Silanus, was consul in AD 28, with Publius Silius Nerva. He was accused of majestas in AD 32, but was saved by Celsus, one of the informers.

Shortly after the accession of Claudius, in AD 41, when Silanus was governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, he was recalled to Rome and married to Domitia Lepida, mother of the empress Messalina. He was treated with the greatest of distinction, but having refused the advances of Messalina herself, he was soon put to death by the emperor. Messalina and Tiberius Claudius Narcissus accused him of plotting to assassinate Claudius, and claimed that they had seen Silanus attempting to murder the emperor in their dreams.